Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Moroccan journalists face five years' jail for joke | The Guardian | Guardian Unlimited: "Editor Driss Ksikes and journalist Sanaa al-Aji appeared in court in Casablanca yesterday to insist they had not intended to insult anyone or anything. 'We made no judgment on religion, politics or the monarchy,' Ms Aji told the judge, according to the Mideast Online news agency. 'All I did is report to readers a phenomenon Moroccans are seeing in jokes and anecdotes.'

Nichane, popular with young readers since its launch last September, was banned by order of the prime minister, Driss Jettou, on December 21 when all copies were withdrawn from news stands. The offending article was entitled How Moroccans Laugh at Religion, Sex and Politics."